Dame Helen Mirren wins the award for best actress

Dame Helen Mirren has reigned at the Olivier theatre awards, taking the best actress prize for her performance as Queen Elizabeth II in The Audience.

Stars of the stage gathered at the Royal Opera House in central London for the ceremony hosted by Hugh Bonneville and Sheridan Smith.

Sheridan Smith kicked off the show with a performance of Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend, followed by an appearance by the cast of Cabaret including Will Young before the first awards were handed out.

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe presented the award to Dame Helen, who was playing Elizabeth II for the second time after winning an Academy award in 2007 for the same role in The Queen.

She paid tribute to the monarch, who she joked had put in the "most consistent and committed performance of the 20th century and probably the 21st".

Her co-star Richard McCabe won the award for best actor in a supporting role for his portrayal of former prime minister Harold Wilson in The Audience, which is based around the monarch's conversations with her prime ministers down the years.

Accepting his award, he thanked his "extraordinary" co-star.

The star of The Curious Incident of the Dog In The Night Time, Luke Treadaway, was named best actor.

His co-star Nicola Walker was named best actress in a supporting role for her performance.

She said: "The truth about it is that every single day of rehearsals and every single performance is a prize, so this is completely overwhelming."

The play also picked up awards for lighting, sound and set design while the gong for costume design going to Top Hat.

Goodnight Mister Tom won the award for entertainment and family show, while the musical Billy Elliot won the BBC Radio 2 Audience Award.

The award for outstanding achievement in dance went to Marianela Nunez for her performances with the The Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House.

Playwright and novelist Michael Frayn, whose work includes the classic farce Noises Off, won a special award.

Mark Rubinstein, president of the Society of London Theatre, said: "Congratulations to all of this year's Olivier Award nominees whose incredible talents contributed to a record-breaking year for London Theatre."

The Olivier Awards held at place at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, central London were established in 1976.